Dustin Baker’s 2021 NFL Predictions

Assessing wins and losses for the entirety of an NFL season and playoffs is tricky this far in advance, so don’t go heading to a casino or sportsbook with this information.
Nevertheless, these are the formal predictions:
AFC East
Buffalo Bills (13-4)
*New England Patriots (10-7)
Miami Dolphins (5-12)
New York Jets (4-13)
AFC South
Tennessee Titans (11-6)
Indianapolis Colts (9-8)
Jacksonville Jaguars (3-14)
Houston Texans (2-15)
AFC North
Baltimore Ravens (11-6)
*Cleveland Browns (11-6)
Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7)
Cincinnati Bengals (5-12)
AFC West
Kansas City Chiefs (14-3)
*Denver Broncos (10-7)
Los Angeles Chargers (9-8)
Las Vegas Raiders (6-11)
AFC Playoff Seeding
- Chiefs
- Bills
- Ravens
- Titans
- Browns
- Broncos
- Patriots
Wildcard
(7) Patriots over (2) Bills
(3) Ravens over (6) Broncos
(5) Browns over (4) Titans
Divisional
(1) Chiefs over (7) Patriots
(3) Ravens over (5) Browns
AFC Championship
(1) Chiefs over (3) Ravens
NFC East
*Dallas Cowboys (11-6)
Washington Football Team (9-8)
New York Giants (9-8)
Philadelphia Eagles (5-12)
NFC South
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12-5)
New Orleans Saints (9-8)
Carolina Panthers (6-11)
Atlanta Falcons (4-13)
NFC North
Green Bay Packers (12-5)
*Minnesota Vikings (11-6)
Chicago Bears (9-8)
Detroit Lions (3-14)
NFC West
Los Angeles Rams (11-6)
*Arizona Cardinals (10-7)
*San Francisco 49ers (10-7)
Seattle Seahawks (9-8)
NFC Playoff Seeding
- Buccaneers
- Packers
- Rams
- Cowboys
- Vikings
- Cardinals
- 49ers
Wildcard
(7) 49ers over (2) Packers
(3) Rams over (6) Cardinals
(5) Vikings over (4) Cowboys
Divisional
(7) 49ers over (1) Buccaneers
(3) Rams over (5) Vikings
NFC Championship
(3) Rams over (7) 49ers
Super Bowl
Chiefs over Rams, 34-27
MVP: Patrick Mahomes
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Najee Harris
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Kwity Paye
Coach of the Year: Bill Belichick
Comeback Player of the Year: Dak Prescott
Offensive Player of the Year: Christian McCaffrey
Defensive Player of the Year: T.J Watt
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday along with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).